Cybersecurity expert Jasmine Wong shares 10 essential tips to protect your personal data, secure your devices and keep your online accounts safe from hackers.
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Cyber criminals are finding new ways to access your personal data – whether it be stealing your identity or hacking your accounts – but cybersecurity expert Jasmine Wong is offering 10 crucial tips to stay protected online.
Tip 1: Blur your home on Google Maps
“If people can see your entry points, what type of lock do you have, do you keep your windows open…sometimes that information might be there, and you might not even realize it,”says Wong.
Tip 2: Remove your personal information from Google search results.
Wong says it’s relatively easy to do.
“Google came out with this feature about last year…The main way to go is to go into your Google account, and there should be an option where you can opt into that,” says Wong.
Tip 3: Turn on stolen device protection on your iPhone
Wong says this can stop thieves from locking you out of your Apple ID.
Tip 4: Check if your emails or passwords have been leaked
“You would go to Have I Been Pwned…and you can actually search your email and your passwords to see if they’re floating around on the dark web as part of previous data breaches,” says Wong.
Tip 5: Prevent AI models training on your data
Wong says you can do this by turning off data sharing in your settings, especially for sensitive information.
Tip 6: Freeze your credit reports
Wong says this can stop identity thieves from opening new accounts.
Tip 7: Turn on instant banking transaction alerts
“This allows you to see transactions that happen in real time so you can better catch if someone is using your credit card or your debit card,” says Wong.
Tip 8: Delete unused or unknown browser extensions
“The browser extensions can monitor what you’re doing on the browser and steal your data, maybe your passwords that you’re putting in,” says Wong.
